“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.”
- Mr. Rogers
Nurtured Nature is a Certified Family Home preschool in North Portland’s Overlook/Arbor Lodge neighborhood.
Offering a play-based approach to early learning, our attachment-led, community-minded program is rooted in the belief that childhood should be full of muddy hands, big feelings, and even bigger imaginations.
We believe children arrive with their own, unique nature and see our role as providing a safe and supportive learning environment, so they feel connected and confident to explore. Through trusting relationships, unhurried play, and time in nature, we nurture each child’s natural tendencies—helping them grow into curious, capable, and compassionate human beings.
Our program is focused on intrinsic motivation, joyful exploration, and social-emotional development, rather than rushing toward milestones or preparing for a predetermined path. We believe education should grow compassionate, curious, and engaged members of society—people who think critically, care deeply, and know there are many ways to approach a question or solve a problem.
Free play
Ninety percent of brain growth happens before the age of five, and evidence suggests play is more vital in early learning than formal drilling. At Nurtured Nature, we embed skill development—for example letters and numbers—into open-ended play to support whole-child development, intrinsic motivation, creativity, emotional wellbeing, and build the foundation for academic skills.
Learning in nature
Outdoor play supports neural connections tied to movement, supervised risk-taking, language, and problem solving. We prioritize ample time outdoors, rain or shine, to foster a dynamic learning environment and strengthen gross motor skills, cognitive growth, and social-emotional development.
Mixed-age
We currently serve children age 2-5 and deeply believe in the benefits of mixed-age learning environments. Regardless of whether a child is the youngest or oldest in the community, mixed-age learning enables important social skill development and increased opportunities for children to give and receive nurturance and support.
Emotional literacy
Children learn emotional skills through modeling, guided practice, and play in everyday routines, and early gaps in emotional literacy can affect social success and learning in kindergarten and beyond. Opportunities for teaching and encouraging emotional literacy are embedded throughout our school day. For example, acknowledging significant events, providing emotional labels, and responding with empathy instead of ignoring and distracting.
Family-style meals
Mealtime is an opportunity for holistic development, not just nutrition. With family-style feeding, children are supported beyond simply their nutritional needs. Eating through shared dishes supports health, self regulation of appetite, exposure to a variety of foods, portion control, encourages social and language development, promotes independence and confidence, and builds fine- and gross-motor skills. We foster a positive mealtime atmosphere, helping form lifelong eating habits and social patterns.
Culture & community
Nurtured Nature is unique and reflective of children, teachers, and families alike. We view families as part of our community and value an open-door policy throughout the day. We treat one another with respect and kindness; we are safe and responsible. We create predictable routines, a common language, and community agreements. We model curiosity, collaboration, and playfulness.